Device for controlling the flow of fluid from wells.



E. D. SUMMERROW. DEVICE FOR GONTROLLING THE FLOW 0F FLUID FROM WELLS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 7. 15H1` I1,273,949, Patented July 30,1918.

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UNITED STATES' PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD D. SUMMERROW, 0F,CEDAIR BAYOU, TEXAS.

DEVICE FOB CONTBOLLING THE FLOW 0F FLUID FROM WELLS.

Specification. of Letters Patent.

Application illed August 7, 1917. Serial No. 184,916.

reservoir containing both oil and water, tov

A the exclusion of the wl ter. In the boring of oil wells, a reservoir containing both oil and water is often encountered. The oil being lighter than the water fioats on top of the water, but when the reservoir is encountered and a strainer set therein the water, being more fluent than the oil, will ruslrinto the screen to the exclusion of the oil and the oil will thus be shut off and the water will flow out, or be pumped out through the pipe to the surface and no oil obtained. It is the object of this invention to restrict the conduit through which the fluid reaches the surface so as to maintain the original relative status ofthe oil and water and permit the gradual flow of the oil up through the pipe, to the surface of the ground without disturbing the water underneath, upon which the oil floats.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of means for securing and retaining the same in position in the well casing.

Vith the above and other` objects in view, the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, arrangement of parts, and use, an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the complete vdevice as secured in the well caslng.

Fig. 2 shows a fragmentary vertical sectional view thereof as lowered in the casing preparatory to being secured therein.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side View of the means for securing the device in the casing.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a bridge block employed, and

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view thereof, taken on the line 6--6 of Fig. 5.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numeralsv of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeral 1 refers to the well casing which is permanently set in the bore.A

In drilling a Well, before reaching the ,fiuid reservoir, a stratum 2 of cap rock or gumbo is usually pierced beneath which is the fluid reservoir often containing oil as 3 and water 4. The oil is lighter than the `Patented July 30, 1918.

water and consequently will floatA on top i thereof. It is a customary practice to set a screen of any well known type in the fluid' reservoir and the fluid enters'this screen, to the exclusion of sand and other foreign matter heldin suspension therein and then.

flows or is pumped'up through. the pipeto the surface. than the water and consequently Whenthe screen is set in Vthe ordinary manner and the.

flow of fluidup through thev pipe `is unrestricted, the water will rush into the screen to the exclusion of the oil and the oil will thereby be shut off' and only water will pass to the surface, thus ruining and usually causing the abandonment of the well al-v though oil is present.

- In the present lnventionthe numeral 5 refers to a screen, the upper end of which, op-

osite the oil stratum is perforated and the ower end of which is plain and rests upon the bottom of the bore. This screen is connected to a nipple 6 by means of a collar 7. Above this nipple is a bridge block 8 which is connected to the nipple 6 by means of the collar 9 and to the upper end of which a telescoping pipe consisting of the sections 10 and 11 is connected by means of the collar 1Q. The upper end 13 of the bridge block is reduced and spaced from the lower end of the section 10 so as to form a fiuid passageway around said reduced end and said end is provided with two transverse passageways 14C and 15. The block is also provided with a plurality of vertical fluid conduits 16 which enter the passageway 14, and 17 which enter the 'passageway 15. The lower ends of said conduits 16 and 17 are inwardly threaded to receive the plugs 18 by means of which they may be closed. The

The oil is usually less fluent upper end of the pipe section 10 has an outwardly extending annular flange 19 and the lower end of the section 11 has a cap 20 screwed thereon and closely surrounding the section 10, said cap engaging with said flange to prevent the detachment of one of said sections from the other. Surrounding the section 10 and interposed between the cap 20 and the collar 12 is a packing 21 composed of fabric or some other suitable niaterial and when the device is lowered into the well, the weight of the section 11 and the string of pipe above attached thereto will be sustained by said packing and will force the same together and out against the casing 1 to form a water tight joint to prevent the flow of water from above or below, through the casing. The section 11 of the telescoping pipe is connected to a pipe section 22 by means of the collar 23. rlhis last mentioned section has a plurality of vertical slots 211 spaced therearound provided to receive the ribs l25 of the gripping members 26. These members are arcuate in cross section and the ribs 25 project through the slots 21 and their upper and lower ends are provided with tapped holes to receive the pins 27 which are spaced from the pipe section 22 to permit the lateral movement of said gripping members. The entire device is connected to the lower end of the string of pipe 28 by means of a collar 29 and is lowered linto the well until the lower end of thev screen 5 rests upon the bottom of the bore, the weight of the pipe causing the packer 21 to form a water tight joint with the casing 1. A conical shaped mandrel 30 is then lowered in the pipe and wedges between the ribs 25 and is driven downwardly until it forces the gripping members, whose outer surfaces are serrated, against the casing and,

thereby securesthe device in position in the casing. Any well known form of implement for driving the mandrel may be employed and it isnot thought necessary to describe the same in detail. It may be said, however, that when the mandrel is driven into position, the driving tool 31 may be unscrewed therefrom and withdrawn from the well and the string of pipe 28 may also be unscrewed and withdrawn. Before letting the device down into the well some of the plugs 18 should be removed so as to permit the fluid to pass up through the bridge block 8 and out through one of the passage- Ways 14 or 15 as' the case may be and the fluid will then pass on up .through the device, either by fluid pressure or under the influence of a pump, the ribs 25 being spaced apart to permit the fluid to pass upwardly. It is obvious that, the conduit above the fluid reservoir being restricted, the fluid strata will not be greatly disturbed but will remain in practically the same relation as -before the reservoir was pierced, thus not giving the water the opportunity to rush out through the fluid conduit and shut off' the flow of oil and the oil will be given the opportunity to be gradually drawn ofi' from water, permitting the reservoir of water to remain undisturbed.

What I claim is:

1. A device of the character described including a fluid conduit, means for securing the same in a well, the lower end of said conduit being open to admit fluid, and the conduit being restricted above said open end and means for varying the amount of fluid flowing through said conduit.

2. A device of the character described including a pipe forming a fluid conduit, means for securing the same in a Well, the lower end of said pipe being formed to admit fluid from a fluid reservoir, a section of said conduit above said reservoir being formed into a plurality of restricted fluid passageways and means for closing said passageways.

8. A device of the character described including a pipe forming a fluid conduit adapted to be let down into a well, the lower end of the pipe being provided with fluid inlets to admit fluid from a reservoir, means for securing said device in the well, a section of said conduit above said reservoir being formed into a plurality of restricted fluid passageways, means for controlling the flow of liquid through said passageways and a packer interposed between said pipe and the Walls of the bore to form a water tight joint.

4. A device of the character described including a pipe forming a fluid conduit and adapted to be let down into a well bore, the lower end of said pipe being provided with a fluid inlet to admit fluid from the surrounding reservoir, a section of said conduit above said reservoir being formed into a plurality of restricted fluid passageways, means for independently opening and closing said passageways and means for securing said device in the well bore.

5. A device of the character described includinga pipe forming a fluid conduit and adapted to be let down into a well bore, the lower end of said pipe being provided with a fluid inlet to admit fluid from the surrounding reservoir, a section of said conduit above said reservoir being formed into a plurality of restricted fluid passageways, means for independently opening and closing said passageways, and means for securnamed to this specieation in the presence of ing said device in thewe11 bore, said means two subscribing Witnesses.V including grlpping members cari-led by sald pipe, and means for forcing said gripping EDWARD D SUMMERROW' 5 members into engagement with the Walls of Witnesses:

the bore.

i FLORENCE JOHNSTON, In testimonywhereofA I have signed my WM. CATHEY. 

